


Born Again

by Sarren



Category: Sense8 (TV)
Genre: Cluster As Family, Found Family, Gen, Sensate Cluster(s), Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 05:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8877568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarren/pseuds/Sarren
Summary: Riley will always have her family.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [psikeval](https://archiveofourown.org/users/psikeval/gifts).



> Thank you to ridiculousmavis for an awesome beta :)
> 
> Yuletide Treat.

Will’s absence is a gaping hole in a corner of their minds, even as the rest of them become more intertwined. It’s been nearly a month now, and they’re no closer to figuring out how to hide themselves from Whispers. Until they do, they can’t risk waking him up properly. The doctor they pay to keep Will medicated (making him rich with funds Nomi funnels from the bigoted Evangelical Church the man belongs to) shakes his head. It’s been too long, he says, as he makes one of his periodic visits to check Will’s vital stats and adjust the medication dosage as necessary. He eyes Riley warily as he pronounces his diagnosis. He’s afraid of her, a testament of the power of Wolfgang’s personality when he explained both the terms of the bribe and what would happen to the doctor should he betray them.

He points to the fact that the dosage Will requires to maintain the induced coma is at less than a quarter than when they started this as evidence that Will’s mind is in a vegetative state. Riley doesn’t meet his eyes as she escorts him out. The soporific mantra around Will that the cluster maintains between them rarely falters now, it’s habit. They’re hoping to wean him off the medication completely soon.

One of them always stays with Riley, unless they sense she wants to be alone. Often it’s Sun, for whom a coffee in a café in a tiny snowbound town in the Arctic Circle is the highlight of her day an escape from her (metaphorical) chains. More often than not, though, it’s Capheus who joins her. He likes to stamp his feet in the deep snow, his laughter echoing in the dry air. He and Riley walk the quiet streets in a loop - she doesn’t like to be too far away from Will. The others can watch him for her, but all the responsibility for his hands-on care falls to her. Much as they want to, the others know they can’t afford to rush to her side. Whispers has eyes and ears everywhere.

A snowball hits Capheus square in the back of the head exploding snow everywhere, much of it down the back of his neck. Capheus reaches up to try to get it off before it goes under his collar, but fails, and then he’s grimacing at the cold, wet feel of it trickling down his back, as is Riley, and Lito, the culprit.

“Didn’t really think that one through, huh?” Riley says wryly.

Lito shrugs. “Apparently not,” he agrees, rubbing the back of his own neck as he ducks his head, his movie star looks only made more attractive by his sheepish grin.

“Do you get snow in Mexico?” Capheus asks, curious as always.

“In the northern states, sure,” Lito says. “Not in Mexico City though, not for fifty years. Although the mountains on the outskirts are often topped with snow. Iztaccihuatl, a dormant volcano, is particularly beautiful.”

_Guns fire. Bodies fall in slow motion, blood spurting dramatically. They watch from vantage points around the set while, simultaneously, a voluptuous young woman in a low cut flimsy white dress is clasped in their arms, gazing up at them worshipfully, snow-capped mountains framed majestically in the background._

“One of my most famous films was shot there,” Lito says apologetically, just as a snowball hits him straight in the face. His expression is priceless. Capheus raises victory arms, turning a triumphant circle, crowing, and Riley laughs for the first time in forever.

Kala appears, the drug tests she was running in her lab abandoned for the moment, following the joy and wonder echoing through their bond. She stares around her, marvelling, and raises her hands to watch the light flecks drift onto her hand from the flurry around them. “Beautiful,” she says, her voice hushed.

Wolfgang is by her side, as he usually is, nowadays, although the link between them is a push-pull of desire versus unease. Wolfgang can’t bring himself to accept Kala’s forgiveness, because he can’t forgive himself. He’s smiling now though, helplessly, at the look of awe on Kala’s face. “Better than being drenched by cold rain,” he says.

“Not necessarily,” Kala says kindly. She’s always gentle with Wolfgang. She takes his hand in her own and holds it and Wolfgang’s expression is that of a person torn between fear and joy.

“Snow fight!” Nomi announces, bending to scoop her own snowball and Sun is there, quickly and efficiently building an arsenal of own, her expression fierce and intent, and the war is on. Capheus and Riley join forces, as do Kala and Wolfgang. They all of them target Lito, of course, until he begs, laughing, arms raised in surrender, for mercy. Eventually they all collapse into a laughing, sodden heap in the snow, surrounding Riley, keeping her warm, supported, loved.

One by one they disappear back to their own lives and loves. Riley is alone again and although the warmth of their love lingers, Riley is cold in a way that has nothing to do with the damp chill seeping through her wet clothes and the melted snow in her hair that drips down her temples. She gathers herself to get up, to going back to the apartment, to watching Will’s eyes flicker behind his lids, to shushing his occasional drowsy murmurs as his mind seeks to surface from its stupor.

There’s an arm reaching down and she looks up at Capheus’s solemn face. He’s still there. She takes his hand. He pulls her to her feet and gently enfolds her in his arms. Riley buries her face against his chest and holds on for a long time, allowing the warmth of his body and of his boundless love for her, echoed by the rest of the cluster through their bond, to comfort her, to restore her, to give her the strength to carry on. Slowly she steps back. Capheus allows his arms to fall away, giving her the space she needs now. 

Riley takes a moment to compose herself. Then she smiles tremulously at Capheus, tucks her arm through his, and together they make their way back to her apartment. To Will.

She is grateful for the presence of her cluster today. Reminding her that she will never be truly alone again, and that for all the grief and terror and danger being born again has cost her, it’s been worth it. Her cluster is her life now. Her family.


End file.
